I had this exact issue last year. After researching extensively, I found that the 2020 redesign of the W-4 eliminated allowances completely. Now it uses a different calculation method. When I filled mine out, I mistakenly put my total household income in Step 1 instead of just my income from that job, which threw off all the calculations. Worth checking if you made a similar mistake.

This is likely one of these issues: • You checked "Exempt" on your W-4 • Your income is below the threshold for federal withholding • There was a payroll system error • You claimed too many credits on Step 3 of your W-4 The new W-4 form is confusing compared to the old version. I'd recommend checking with payroll immediately to avoid a surprise tax bill next April.

Last year when I was filing from Canada, I found that having my transcript was the most reliable way to check for potential offsets. I requested my Wage and Income transcript and Account transcript through the IRS website, which showed a previous offset from 2022. When I called the TOP line after seeing this, they confirmed the exact debt (old state taxes from Illinois). Having that information before filing helped me adjust my expectations and make financial plans accordingly.

I just went through this whole process last month! Called the Treasury Offset Program from Australia using Skype. According to the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, they're required to tell you if your refund will be offset. The automated system told me I had a $1,200 debt from an old IRS penalty that I had completely forgotten about. Saved me from counting on money that wasn't coming. The whole call took less than 5 minutes once I figured out how to dial internationally.

I'm skeptical about any "no-fee" advance loan. According to IRS Publication 1345 guidelines, these products must disclose all charges, and typically the cost is embedded in preparation fees. Jackson Hewitt's Assisted Refund product with self-employment income triggers their Premium preparation tier, which increased from $249 to $319 for Tax Year 2024 filings. The "no-fee" advance is technically true, but you're paying significantly higher preparation fees to offset the underwriting risk.

According to the official Jackson Hewitt website (https://www.jacksonhewitt.com/offers/no-fee-refund-advance/), self-employment income doesn't automatically disqualify you, but it does impact approval odds. Their FAQ section specifically mentions that "mixed income sources may require additional verification." If you need a definitive answer, I'd recommend calling their customer service line at the number listed on their site. Based on community feedback here, many members with less than 30% self-employment income have successfully received advances, though sometimes at lower amounts than requested.

Quick question. Are both W2s under the same SSN? Or did you get an ITIN for one job? This matters for matching. Some foreign income reporting has different rules. IRS Publication 525 covers this specifically. Timing also matters. When were these W2s issued exactly?

I was in a similar situation last year. Had three W2s and almost didn't report the smallest one. Decided to include it anyway. Good thing I did! My brother-in-law tried skipping a W2 in 2022. Got caught six months later. Paid original tax plus 20% accuracy penalty. Also had to pay interest from April 15th. The automated matching is incredibly thorough now. They even caught a $212 1099-MISC he forgot about. The peace of mind from filing completely accurately is worth the extra effort.

I think there might be some misunderstanding about how SantaBarbara works. It's primarily a professional tax software that preparers use, not necessarily the company pushing the advances. The advances are usually offered through partner banks or financial institutions. In my experience working with tax clients, SantaBarbara is actually fairly reliable, but the financial institutions handling the advances can sometimes cause delays, especially if there's any kind of verification issue with your return.

Have you tried checking your e-file status directly? Sometimes the WMR tool doesn't update properly but your return is actually processing normally. There's also the IRS2Go app which sometimes shows different status info than the website. Another option is to create an account on IRS.gov and check your transcript - that usually shows processing steps before they appear on WMR.